


A Hero is a Hero

by K_Rob3



Series: The Courage to Hope [4]
Category: Batwoman (TV 2019), Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-11
Updated: 2020-02-11
Packaged: 2021-02-28 03:27:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,355
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22657015
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/K_Rob3/pseuds/K_Rob3
Summary: Kate had a rough day. Though it worked out in the end, she was tired and having some serious doubts about this hero business. Fortunately, a certain blonde Kryptonian knew just what to say.
Relationships: Kara Danvers/Kate Kane
Series: The Courage to Hope [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1629943
Comments: 8
Kudos: 93





	A Hero is a Hero

Kate rode the elevator up from the cave. She leaned against the wall, eyes closed. She was tired. Damn tired. When the doors opened, she sighed and pushed off the wall. A shower and bed sounded really good. 

When she stepped into her office, her instincts pricked. Her body was on high alert, ready for a threat. 

“Whoa!” Kara’s voice said from the other side of the room, “It’s just me.”

Kate’s whole body sagged in relief and she offered the blonde a tired smile, “Hey. How did you get up here?”

Kara gave her a “What do you think?” look and Kate shook her head.

“Right, sorry,” she walked toward her girlfriend, “It’s been a really long day.”

Kara stepped into her arms and hugged her, all along her length. Even though it sounded corny, even in her mind, Kate couldn’t point to anything, ever, in her life that felt as good as Kara holding her. She slid her hands up Kara’s arms, cupping the back of her neck and drawing her into a kiss. Kara hummed as their lips met, then slowly deepened the contact. 

“Mmm,” Kate sighed heavily through her nose when they naturally drifted apart, “Hi.”

Kara smiled, sunnily, “Hi.”

Kate leaned her forehead against Kara’s, “I’m so glad you’re here.”

“Yeah, I kind of got that,” Kara teased, “And as much as I would come here just for this, I did actually have a reason.”

“Can we talk about it at my place?” Kate asked, “Or do you need to get back to National City?”

Kara shook her head, “Alex knows how to reach me if anything comes up, so if you don’t mind the company, I’m all yours.”

Kate kissed her again, smiling, “Awesome.”

She went to her desk and withdrew her helmet. Kara raised an eyebrow.

“What?”, Kate asked, “I have one for you, too.”

Kara shrugged, “Well, I just thought that since I’m here, I could just…you know, take us to your apartment.”

Kate grinned, “Is there some reason we need to get there really fast?”

Kara blushed, making Kate laugh. She walked over to the blonde with another helmet and handed it to her. 

“Come on, Supergirl,” Kate teased, “I treated myself to a new bike.”

Kara gave her a mock glare, then nodded, “Alright. But please don’t get crazy. I rode with Alex one time and that was enough for me.”

They walked to the elevator and while they waited Kate said, “Kara, you’re literally indestructible and can fly almost faster than Barry can run. How can going fast on a motorcycle possibly scare you?”

“I may be indestructible, but you and Alex are not. My heart was in my throat the whole time with her. Yes, I would survive a crash, but you might not. So, just be careful.”

Kate felt bad, she hadn’t thought of it like that, “I’m sorry. You’re right. I promise to be very careful.”

“Good,” Kara kissed her on the cheek just as the elevator arrived. 

“So,” Kara leaned against the wall, appreciating the way Kate looked in her tight jeans and leather jacket, “You said you treated yourself. Correct me if I’m wrong, but you could have a whole fleet of motorcycles or cars or whatever.”

Kate shrugged a shoulder, “Well, I just survived the destruction of the whole universe, helped reboot it, and have an amazing girlfriend. For the first time in a long time I just felt like celebrating my birthday. So…”

Kara’s eyes widened, “Your birthday! Kate! Why didn’t you tell me?”.

Kate’s own eyes got round, “Um….”

The elevator stopped and the doors opened. Kate thought about darting out of it, but Kara would only catch her before she could take a step. Instead she held out her hand which Kara took and led them into the lobby. 

“I’m sorry again,” Kate said, “I guess I need to get used to this. My birthday is tomorrow.”

“This is so wrong,” Kara shook her head as they stepped outside, “We should do something. Celebrate properly.”

Kate stopped at the bike and faced her girlfriend, a soft smile on her face, “Kara, it really is fine. I’m not big on celebrating my birthday. I mean, until recently, it only reminded me of my dead twin sister. And now, knowing that she’s alive but a complete psycho, it’s still not the best memory.”

Kara winced. She forgot about that. 

“Hey,” Kate smiled and put her hands on Kara’s hips, pulling her closer, “It’s okay, really.”

“Alright,” Kara finally conceded, “But don’t be mad if I do something for you.”

“I won’t,” Kate assured her, “But honestly, I have what I really wanted this year.”

Kara looked past her at the bike. She didn’t really know anything about them, but it looked similar to Alex’s and she figured her sister would be impressed. 

“It is a really nice bike,” Kara said.

Kate gripped her hips a little tighter and said, “I wasn’t talking about the bike.”

Kara smiled widely, “Oh, that was smooth.”  
“And completely true,” Kate said before kissing her, “Now, want to go for a little tour of the city?”

“Absolutely.”

Almost an hour later, Kate pulled the bike to a stop in her parking spot and turned it off. Kara unwound herself from Kate’s body and the brunette shivered. She’d ridden with women on the back of a bike many times, but riding with Kara, feeling her body molded to her own and moving effortlessly with her as she maneuvered through the streets of Gotham, set her body on a low burn. If the look Kara shot her when she took off her helmet was any indication, Kara was feeling it too. 

When they reached her apartment, Kate gave Kara the nickel tour of her home. They found themselves standing in the middle of the living room, looking at each other intensely.

Kara shook her head and took a seat on the couch, pulling her bag onto her lap, “Before we get any more distracted, I do have something for you.”

Kate sighed and joined her, trying to keep her hands to herself. Kara smiled and handed her something covered in brown paper. She looked at the blonde curiously.

“It’s an advanced copy of the magazine,” Kara explained, “I thought you might like to see it before it drops tomorrow.”

Kate unwrapped the paper and stared at the cover. A full color photo of Batwoman stared back at her. She silently flipped to the article, smiling when she saw Kara’s name. 

“It looks great, Kara,” Kate said, setting it down on the coffee table, “Thank you, again for doing that.”

Kara grinned, “It was my pleasure. Of course, Andrea practically salivated at the idea of an exclusive interview with Batwoman.”

“That was a weird experience,” Kate confessed.

“Tell me about it,” Kara agreed, “It’s not every day that I get to interview my girlfriend’s alter ego so she can come out of the closet. Although, I admit that I’m relieved that Batwoman will no longer be romantically linked with that neanderthal cop.”

Kate groaned and flopped back agains the couch, “God I hope so. That was such a surreal experience.”

“I bet,” Kara tucked a knee underneath her so she could face Kate, “I know how much it bothered you. Hopefully this article will help.”

“Yeah, well, the article was almost a moot point after tonight,” Kate said. She wasn’t really planning on talking about it. But this was Kara. 

When Kara looked at her curiously, she told her the whole story. Tracking down the hacker to the high school, Parker’s vicious comments to Batwoman, Alice trying to use Parker to out her as Batwoman, and Parker’s brilliant misdirection. 

Kara took a few moments to collect her thoughts. She was angry at this Alice person, regardless of who she used to be to Kate. How dare she question whether or not Kate was as hero. 

“So, Alice thought that if she revealed your identity that, somehow, you wouldn’t be a hero anymore? Why? Because Kate Kane can’t possibly be a hero? Because you’re gay? What?”

Kate shook her head, looking at Kara with sad, tired eyes, “I honestly don’t know, Kara. Maybe she thought Gotham would reject the bat if they knew the truth. Maybe she thought I’d be arrested. I know she wants me to join her and her crew in terrorizing Gotham. In her warped brain, killing my step-mother and framing my father for it was a gift to me. It was punishment for their roles in keeping us apart and me from finding her for all those years.”

Kara shook her head, “Wow. I don’t even know what to say to that. Except that she’s wrong. Whether you wear the mask or not, you are a hero. Nothing could ever change that.”

Suddenly Kate was exhausted. Everything seemed to catch up to her all at once. Her father was in prison, Alice was in custody but still one step ahead of them, and Mary hated her. She didn’t feel like a hero.

“I don’t know, Kara,” she said sadly, “I honestly don’t feel like much of a hero right now. I mean, yeah, it worked out tonight, but that was more Parker than me.”

Kara scooted closer, caressing Kate’s jean cover thigh, “I know there is so much going on right now that feels out of your control. But, Kate, as much as you try and as much as you do, you can’t control everything. Believe, me, I know what it’s like when you feel like you lost, despite your best effort. But, you take the victories where you can get them. And tonight was a victory. Parker would have never had the confidence to do what she did if you hadn’t been there. You. Not Batwoman.”

“It could have gone so wrong, Kara,” Kate let some of her fear show.

“But it didn’t because you were there. She knew you’d protect her. She didn’t doubt it. I bet you didn’t doubt it in that moment. That’s why you told her to do it. If she’d have sent that message, outed you as Batwoman, was there any doubt in your mind that you would do whatever it took to protect her and everyone else?”

Kate gave Kara a small smile, “No.”

“Of course not,” Kara continued, conviction filling her voice, “Because you can’t be anyone or anything less than who you are. And you are a hero. Heck, the universe, itself, told you that!”

Kate felt warmth spread through her body. She looked into those intense, impossibly blue eyes and a feeling she’d come to associate with Kara spread through her. 

“Does anyone ever lose an argument with you?” Kate asked, smiling.

Kara shook her head at the non-sequitor, “Uh, were we arguing?”.

“No,” Kate shifted and sat astride Kara’s thighs. She used the height advantage to kiss the blonde deeply. She hummed when she felt Kara’s hands slide up her hips to trail up her back. 

When they parted, Kara’s eyes were slightly unfocused and Kate felt like she was on fire. 

“You’re right,” Kate said, caressing Kara’s cheek, “No matter what I or anyone else thinks about it, I’ll always try to do the right thing. The hero thing will just take a little getting used to.”

“I’ve seen you in action,” Kara said, leaning into Kate’s touch, “And not just kicking ass. You saved me in so many ways. Even if you don’t believe it, I do.”

They shared a look, understanding passing between them. 

Kate glanced at the clock in the kitchen then looked at Kara, grinning, “It’s past midnight.”

“Happy Birthday,” Kara said, kissing Kate’s chin.

“I think I might be in the mood to celebrate after all,” Kate said, raising her eyebrows suggestively, “Care to join me?”.

Kara laughed at that and before Kate knew it, she was standing in her bedroom.

“I guess that’s a ‘yes’,” Kate chuckled.

“Happy Birthday, to you,” Kara started removing clothing as she sang. When their clothes were piled on the floor, the women fell onto the bed in a tangle of limbs. 

Later, when their bodies were spent, Kara rolled to her side and Kate slid behind her. Listening to her steady, rhythmic breathing was something Kate discovered she quite enjoyed. Despite the chaos the crisis created and the destruction Alice caused in her life, Kate was happy and content in that moment. She recalled something Kara had said earlier and smiled. She certainly intended to take this victory as far as she possibly could. 

In the morning, Kate rolled over, finding the bed empty and the sheets cool. She groggily sat up, rubbing a hand through her messy hair. After putting on some clothes, she wandered out of her bedroom, looking for her girlfriend. The sun was just starting to brighten the sky outside the window.

Her eyes landed on a box from the bakery down the street. Curiously, she opened it. A goofy smile spread across her face when she saw the large cupcake with “Happy Birthday” written across it. She picked up the note that was folded in the box. 

Dear Kate,  
I’m sorry I had to go so early. I know you said you don’t really celebrate your birthday, but I am very happy that you were born, so I’ll celebrate for you. And now that I know, all bets are off for next year. I hope you have a great day. I’ll talk to you later. 

Love,  
Kara

Kate read the note a few more times then set it back inside the box. Her eyes stung briefly with rising emotion. It had been a long time since someone wanted to celebrate her. And an even longer time since anyone had made reference to any kind of future event with her. Kara Danvers was rapidly changing Kate’s world and she couldn’t muster one ounce of energy to fight it or argue with it. 

“Well,” she said aloud, staring at the cupcake, “I guess I need to call Alex. Turn about is fair play, Supergirl.”


End file.
